Leonardo DRS Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: October 2026

Leonardo DRS's summer-2027 intern hiring is in full swing. On 3 October 2026 its Internships board listed 54 live US intern and co-op requisitions across 10 sites, up from 24 on 28 September, after a large batch of "2027 Summer" roles in Dallas, Melbourne and Cypress went live. Most are summer-2027 internships; a handful are spring-2027 internships and co-ops. In plain words: you apply during fall 2026, you intern in summer 2027.

Each business unit posts and closes on its own, and some reqs don't last long: a Frederick, Maryland summer-2027 mechanical engineering req is already marked "no longer posted," and three other September postings have dropped off the board. Most of the live reqs also carry a hard eligibility line: 41 of 54 state "U.S. Citizenship required."

Quick Facts

Applications for summer 2027 are open now at most DRS sites, with no published deadlines and reqs that close when filled. Read the citizenship and clearance line on each req before you apply, because it differs by unit.

Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, most of them 8 weeks at 5–10 hours a week. The Amazon Fulfillment Center Operational Strategy Externship works on the production, industrial-engineering and supply-chain problems behind many of DRS's Dallas and Melbourne reqs, and the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship builds the embedded-systems and security grounding its defense electronics roles draw on. Explore all Externships.

What Is a Leonardo DRS Internship?

A Leonardo DRS internship is a paid summer, spring or co-op placement with a US defense electronics company, usually in an engineering, manufacturing, quality or business role at one specific site. Leonardo DRS is majority-owned by Italy's Leonardo S.p.A. but runs its own US careers site; it reported 2025 revenue of $3.648 billion across its Advanced Sensing and Computing and Integrated Mission Systems segments.

There's no single national program. Naval Power Systems in Menomonee Falls describes "at least 10 weeks of real world experience in an engineering development environment" with assigned mentors, while the Dallas, Melbourne and Cypress reqs run 12 to 14 weeks and start with "Collaborate with and learn from experienced" engineers. This page covers DRS's US board only; Leonardo's UK and Italian placements are a separate employer.

When Do Leonardo DRS Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

DRS doesn't recruit on one calendar. Last cycle, archived snapshots of its own board show summer-2026 reqs posted from 27 August 2025 (Bridgeton) and 9–11 September (Frederick, Beavercreek, Palm Bay), through late November and early December (Johnstown, Menomonee Falls), to a Dallas and Melbourne "2026 Summer" batch on 20 January – 7 February 2026 and a Germantown wave in March.

This year several units moved much earlier. Menomonee Falls posted in September instead of December, and the Dallas and Melbourne batch that went up in January last time is live now, roughly four months earlier. That makes any projection for the units still silent (Germantown MD, Johnstown PA) low-confidence, so check the board rather than the calendar. Lead time runs about 8 to 9 months from a September posting to a late-May or June start.

How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

No DRS intern req states a closing date, and some close fast.

The Frederick, Maryland summer-2027 mechanical engineering req, posted in September 2026, already reads "Sorry, this position is no longer posted" on DRS's own site. Eagan, Minnesota's "Summer 2027 Engineering Internship Opportunities" posting went up on 23 September and was no longer listed on 3 October, and two San Diego senior technical intern reqs from mid-September have also dropped off.

Job boards don't always catch up. Aggregators can keep advertising DRS reqs after they close, so confirm a role on careers.leonardodrs.com before spending time on it, and apply within days of a req appearing there.

Which Leonardo DRS Internship Programs Should You Target?

DRS's live reqs cluster by site and business unit. The largest group is the batch of "2027 Summer" roles in Dallas, Melbourne and Cypress.

Browse every req on DRS's Internships category page, which updates as units post and close roles.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

DRS sets eligibility per req, so read each one. Across the 54 live reqs on 3 October 2026:

• US citizenship: "U.S. Citizenship required" on 41 of 54, including every Dallas, Beavercreek and Cypress req, most Melbourne reqs, and the Menomonee Falls, Fitchburg and High Ridge reqs. The Bridgeton and San Diego reqs we read don't state it.

• Security clearance: 37 reqs add "an active DOD security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance within a reasonable time after commencement of employment."

• GPA: many reqs ask for a 3.0 or higher, including most Dallas and Melbourne reqs and both Menomonee Falls roles; the Fitchburg co-op lists 2.7.

• Class year: varies. Menomonee Falls prefers students entering junior or senior year; Bridgeton's electrical role wants juniors or above; the Fitchburg co-op takes sophomores through seniors.

• Schedule: full time on site for summer roles; co-ops can run 20 hours a week when part time.

Is the 3.0 GPA a Hard Cutoff?

Where a req lists it as a basic qualification, treat it as one. The 3.0 line sits in the required section on most Dallas and Melbourne reqs and on both Menomonee Falls roles, next to the citizenship requirement.

It isn't universal, though. The Bridgeton, San Diego and Beavercreek reqs we read don't state a GPA, and the Fitchburg co-op sets 2.7, so a student below 3.0 still has DRS options at those sites.

What Skills Does Leonardo DRS Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

We read all 47 distinct intern and co-op roles live on DRS's board (54 reqs, with repeated headcount reqs counted once). The most common duty is hands-on testing: 30 roles ask interns to "conduct limited scope testing" or troubleshoot under an engineer's supervision. Communication shows up in 24 and Microsoft Office in 22.

Programming is narrower than at a software company. C or C++ appears in 8 roles, mostly Beavercreek and Dallas software reqs, Python in 6 and MATLAB in 5; FPGA, VHDL or Verilog shows up in the Dallas digital design roles. CAD and circuit design each appear in 6, on the mechanical and electrical reqs.

How Is Demand for Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each skill maps to a remote Externship you can finish this fall.

Because DRS interviews lean behavioral, a finished project is most useful as a story: what you built, what broke in testing and what you changed.

What Is the Leonardo DRS Application and Interview Process Like?

DRS doesn't publish an intern interview process; these steps come from its reqs and from students who went through it:

1. Apply per req. Each unit posts separately on careers.leonardodrs.com, so apply to every site that fits rather than one.

2. Phone screen. A computer engineering student at UCF described being invited to a phone interview for a DRS internship in January 2025.

3. Behavioral interview. A Land Systems intern says the interview was entirely behavioral, built around past experiences.

4. Manager round. A 2026 applicant describes a senior engineering manager interview, then a second interview after talking with HR.

5. Offer and clearance steps. Reqs with the DoD clause require an active clearance or the ability to obtain one after you start.

Prepare two or three detailed stories about engineering projects, team problems and testing work, since that's what the behavioral rounds draw on.

What Students on Reddit Say

Reddit has a few first-hand intern threads, mostly about interviews and timing.

How Do You Stand Out at a Multi-Site Defense Electronics Company?

Three moves.

First, apply broadly and early. Each site hires for itself, so applying to several matching reqs in the first week beats one polished application to a req that may close.

Second, match the req's own vocabulary. Software reqs name C, C++ and Python; Dallas digital design reqs name FPGA, VHDL and Verilog; mechanical reqs name CAD tools. Put the matching coursework or project on the first page of your resume.

Third, prepare behavioral stories. Interns describe interviews built on past experience, so have specific examples of testing something, fixing it and explaining it to a team.

DRS doesn't publish a conversion rate or a return-offer statement in its intern reqs.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

These defense firms hire for similar electronics, systems and manufacturing internships.

Our aerospace and defense internships summer 2027 guide covers the wider sector.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Leonardo DRS internship?

No. Summer 2026 has ended, and DRS's board now carries summer-2027, spring-2027 and co-op roles instead: 54 live US reqs on 3 October 2026. Some units post later than others and some reqs close within weeks, so apply now if a role fits and check back through the winter.

When do Leonardo DRS summer 2027 internship applications open?

They're open now. DRS posted its live summer-2027 reqs between 5 September and 2 October 2026, and a large Dallas, Melbourne and Cypress batch dated early September appeared on the board between 28 September and 3 October. Last cycle some units posted as late as March, but several moved earlier this year.

How fast do Leonardo DRS internship postings close?

Some close within weeks. A Frederick, Maryland summer-2027 mechanical engineering req posted in September is already marked "no longer posted," and an Eagan, Minnesota engineering internship posting lasted about ten days on the board. No req states a deadline, so apply within days of a role appearing.

Do Leonardo DRS interns need US citizenship or a security clearance?

Most do. 41 of the 54 live reqs say "U.S. Citizenship required," and 37 add a DoD clause requiring an active clearance or the ability to obtain one. The Bridgeton and San Diego reqs we read don't state a citizenship line, so check each req before applying.

How much do Leonardo DRS interns make?

Published ranges include $22.67 to $32.42 an hour in San Diego, $26 to $28 an hour in Cypress, $41,011 to $53,315 a year annualized for Bridgeton engineering interns and $45,112 to $64,511 for the Fitchburg co-op. Texas, Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin reqs don't publish pay.

How long is a Leonardo DRS internship?

It depends on the site. The Dallas, Melbourne and Cypress summer reqs list a 12-to-14-week internship on a 9/80 schedule, which gives every other Friday off. Naval Power Systems in Menomonee Falls describes at least 10 weeks. Spring internships and co-ops follow their own academic-term schedules.

What GPA does Leonardo DRS require for internships?

Many reqs ask for a 3.0 or higher, including most Dallas and Melbourne roles and both Menomonee Falls internships, where it sits in the required qualifications. The Bridgeton, San Diego and Beavercreek reqs we read don't state a GPA, and the Fitchburg co-op lists 2.7.

Is Leonardo DRS the same company as Leonardo?

Not quite. Leonardo DRS is a US defense company majority-owned by Italy's Leonardo S.p.A., and it runs its own US careers site with its own internships. Leonardo's UK and Italian placements, such as UK industrial placements, are hired separately and aren't covered on this page.

DRS's summer-2027 reqs are live now and close without notice. A remote Externship finished this fall gives you a concrete project for the behavioral interview.